One way to protect yourself against internet scams is to understand how to spot a fake address.

Looking at the address bar can help you determine whether or not a website is legitimate.

Breakdown of a URL

Some tricks scammers use

Concealed web addresses – a link that looks legitimate but isn’t

Misleading addresses – a URL that looks very similar to a legitimate website

Fake email addresses – the “From” field in an email message is forged

Steps to recognize a fake address

Hover before you click - links aren’t always what they seem

Most web browsers and email programs will reveal the underlying URL when you hover the cursor over the link. The actual URL will appear in the browser or status bar and you can verify where you’re going before you click.